This invention relates to an improved loom for artistic or craft weaving, for home or studio use, as distinct from the mechanical looms of factories.
One of the problems with this type of a loom is the difficulty in warping the loom, that is, applying the warp threads before weaving. This is hard work and time-consuming. It has usually involved the use of a warping rack holding a number of spools. Each warp thread has been wound from the spools on to and around a warp beam. This type of installation has tended to result in cross-overs and twists, and as a result the warp thread has later come off the warp beam somewhat unevenly and at various tensions, and has caused trouble with the shedding action during weaving, because some of the warp threads are then not coplanar with the others. Heretofore, the normal solution to the problem has required the weaver to purchase a tension box, spool rack, a yardage counter, and a raddle; the present invention enables the elimination of all those elements.
Another difficulty in setting up the warp has been the threading of the beater reed itself, which has been always upright in most looms and has therefore required the weaver to work from an awkward position, often without being able to see well what is being done.
Another related problem is that of adjusting the tension of the warp threads evenly.
Another type of problem with looms has been that they often present a very small area visible easily to the weaver so that it is difficult to follow large designs. Looms large enough to enable the weaver to have before him a large area of woven cloth have been so large that they have been awkward to locate a place for, especially if used in an individual's home instead of a spacious studio. Thus, it has been a problem to construct a loom which is both large enough for working and small enough for ready storage and use in relatively small rooms.
Another problem has been that the beater reed on such a loom has usually been capable of only one type of beating action, and this has limited the variety of types of packing or beating that the loom could do. If one needed a different type of beating action, one would have had to have another completely separate beater reed.
In addition, typical looms have been relatively inefficient and have been unpleasing in appearance.
Thus, among the objects of the invention are those of providing a loom which is efficient, which has a good appearance, and which is relatively easy to warp, as well as to operate. Greatly increased efficiency of warping and of setting up the warp through the beater reed are other objects.
Another object of the invention is to provide a loom with a more versatile beater reed and to provide for easy alternation of the warp rods with the beater reed.
Another object of the invention is to provide improved pawl and ratchet systems on both the cloth beam and the sectional warp beam, so that both these beams become more efficient in their operation.